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FASTRAC Project Report

By Alex Chung Rachael Gilg

Mariela Hristova Tammy Latham

November 30, 2004

INF 385E: Information Architecture and Design I Dr. Don Turnbull

The University of Texas at Austin School of Information

FASTRAC: Project Report 2

Table of Contents A. Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………… 3 B. Project Proposal……………………………………………………………………..…… 4

1. Description…………………………………………………………………...……. 4 2. Scope……………………………………………………………………………..… 5 3. Schedule………………………………………………………………....…………. 6 4. Group Member Roles………………………………………………………...……. 7 5. Project Expectations…………………………………………………….…….…… 7 6. Development Methods & Deliverables……………………………………..…….. 8

C. Analysis Deliverables……………………………………………………………..……… 9

1. User/Task Matrix……………………………………………………………..…… 9 2. Audience Prioritization…………………………………………………….……… 11 3. Audience Profiles……………………………………………………….………… 12 4. Technology Assessment…………………………………………………..………. 17 5. Concept Map……………………………………………………………..……….. 18

D. Design Deliverables………………………………………………………………….…… 19

1. Labels & Naming Rules…………………………………………………….……... 19 2. Final Sitemap……………………………………………………………………… 23 3. Final Page Design…………………………………………………………………. 24 4. Page Layout Templates…………………………………………………….……… 27 5. Database Structure………………………………………………………………… 28 6. Design Standards………………………………………………………………….. 30

E. Post Mortem………………………………………………………………………………. 32

1. Alex Chung………………………………………………………………………… 32 2. Rachael Gilg……………………………………………………………………….. 33 3. Mariela Hristova…………………………………………………………………… 34 4. Tammy Latham……………………………………………………………………. 35


A. Executive Summary This report summarizes the development process of the FASTRAC Web site redesign, a project undertaken by a team of students from the School of Information at the University of Texas at Austin as part of the course INF 385E: Information Architecture and Design l. The project client was the University of Texas Nanosatellite Program, also known as the FASTRAC project team. To complete this project, the Web team engaged in a 10-week development process that included planning, analysis, design, construction, and verification phases. At the end of the process, the Web team delivered to the FASTRAC team an operational redesigned Web site that had been rebuilt from the ground up. Guided by information architecture principles, the Web site redesign offers significant improvements in areas such as navigation, look & feel, functionality, and ease of maintenance. Most importantly, the new Web site effectively supports the FASTRAC team's mission-critical goals and objectives. This report is meant to illustrate the project development process through the inclusion of planning documents and deliverables created by the Web team during each phase of the process. In addition, a "post-mortem" is included at the end of the report. At the time of this writing, the following links may be used to access Web sites related to this project: Project planning site: http://www.ischool.utexas.edu/~fastrac Existing FASTRAC Web site: http://fastrac.ae.utexas.edu/ Redesigned FASTRAC Web site: http://fastrac.as.utexas.edu/ The redesigned site includes a password-protected intranet. The following temporary login information may be used to access the intranet content: Intranet Login Page: http://fastrac.as.utexas.edu/team_login.php Username: admin Password: gohorns


B. Project Proposal 1. Description The UT Austin FASTRAC team has engaged our group to develop a new web strategy for their grant-based, nanosatellite program. The FASTRAC team, a group of Aerospace, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering students, is demonstrating their ability to build two flight-ready nanosatellites using a new plasma microthruster technology being developed at UT. The program, currently in its second year, originated from a two-year grant awarded to only 12 schools nationwide by the US Air Force Office of Space Research (AFOSR). 3-D Image of 2 Nanosatellites The ultimate goal of the FASTRAC team is to get their nanosatellites into space. The most prestigious way of doing so is to win the grant’s nanosat competition to be held in January 2005. We will aid the FASTRAC team in realizing their competitive strategy by replacing the current web site with a new web presence that better demonstrates key parts of the FASTRAC mission statement:

Program Promotion Promoting the FASTRAC program to the press, aerospace companies, and sponsors

Community Outreach Efforts to educate the Austin community (mainly teachers and students) through teaching about FASTRAC’s research

Intra-team Collaboration The use of automated tasks to streamline document management by the FASTRAC team members

Extra-team Collaboration Exposing web functionality to specific external communities to support tracking nanosatellites after launch

Secondary goals of the web site redesign include:

Easy maintenance of the new public and private sites, complete with templates, documentation and well-commented code.

Easy transition of contents from the private site into the public site after the January competition.

Our efforts will be focused on designing those features that are directly tied to the FASTRAC mission and include both a public and private site. Note, however, that the FASTRAC web presence will continue to support their program after the January competition and additional features will be needed to satisfy new audiences—upload capabilities for radio operators and ground station scheduling capabilities for other universities, for example. While these features and audiences are not our main goal, we will also be providing front-end representations of how the features might behave for those that relate to the FASTRAC mission.


2. Scope For a detailed view of the scope and short-term change in the Web site, see the chart below. Pre-operational refers to the site before the end of the competition and post-operational to the site after the end of the competition.


3. Schedule Week Date Stage Tasks Deliverables

1. Sept 20-4 Planning Meet with sponsor – Jeff’s answers, meeting notes Write project proposal: description – Tammy; scope – Mariela; the rest – Rachael

Proposal

2. Sept 27-1 Analysis

User/task Matrix – Rachael Audience Prioritization – Tammy Audience Profiles – Tammy Technology Assessment – Alex Concept Map – Mariela

User/task Matrix Audience Prioritization Audience Profiles Technology Assessment Concept Map

3. Oct 4-8 Analysis

Do an inventory of CD materials – Tammy Internal documents – Alex External site – Rachael Transitional (arch) – Mariela

Content Inventory

4. Oct 11-15 Design Work individually on sitemaps. Meet to consolidate versions of sitemaps.

Old Sitemap New Sitemap

5. Oct 18-22 Design

Individual work on content areas: Alex – news & our satellite Mariela – your participation & our story Rachael – documentation & your education Tammy – intranet & contact

Content area sitemaps Wireframes

6. Oct 25-29 Design

Group meeting to discuss content, wireframes, and work on labels that emerge from individual work so far. Continue individual work on content areas to create page layouts. Meet with client to discuss content, wireframes & design.

Labels & Naming Rules Page Layout Templates Database Tables Draft

7. Nov 1-5 Construction

Finalize graphic design – Alex. Work on content – Tammy. Begin coding the intranet – Rachael. Begin coding public site – Mariela. Compile design standards – Mariela.

Design Standards

8. Nov 8-12 Construction

Implementation of front page – Alex. Content management – Tammy. Intranet coding – Rachael. Public site coding – Mariela.

FASTRAC Website

9. Nov 15-19 Verification Demonstration meeting with clients. Training session with clients. Continue construction tasks.

Demonstration

10. Nov 22-26 Verification

Master list for public site – Tammy. Master list for intranet – Rachael. Code for contact form – Alex. Assembly for user manual – Mariela. Work on the presentation – 1st draft by Tammy, followed by everyone’s contribution

File Master List User Manual PPT Presentation

11. Nov 30 Final Presentation


4. Group Member Roles We have established the following roles for the completion of this project.

Communications Coordinator Facilitates team communication through e-mail, blog, and face-to-face meetings. Acts as the point-of-contact for the client.

Project Web Site Coordinator

Maintains and updates the Project Web Site with new project information and deliverables.

Technology Coordinator Leads assessment of existing technology resources and facilitates implementation of new technologies.

Content Coordinator

Leads organization and analysis of existing content and coordinates the creation of new content. As we move through the project stages, we will rotate roles (see table) and may redefine the focus of each role. During each phase, we will equally share project responsibilities such as interface designer, coder, database designer, etc. Planning Analysis Design Construction Client Acceptance

Communications Coordinator Alex Alex Mariela Rachael Tammy

Project Web Site Coordinator Mariela Mariela Rachael Tammy Alex

Technology Coordinator Rachael Rachael Tammy Alex Mariela

Content Coordinator Tammy Tammy Alex Mariela Rachael 5. Project Expectations Client Interaction:

The Web site project team will build a design partnership with the FASTRAC team through frequent consultations, on-time deliverables, maintaining an up-to-date project Web site, and soliciting feedback during each stage of the process.

The FASTRAC team will provide all Web site content and will allow the Web site team access to the hosting Web server.

Critical Success Factors: The FASTRAC Web site will support the mission objectives of the FASTRAC project by:

educating students and the general public, effectively promoting the FASTRAC project, enabling better management of project documentation and easier updating of Web site content,

and allowing students and amateur radio operators to actively participate in the project after launch.


6. Development Methods & Deliverables We will use the timeline section of the project Web site to track our progress through each stage of the development process. Within each stage, tasks will be determined and assigned to individual team members, client deliverables will be produced, and client feedback will be solicited. The development stages, goals, and deliverables are as follows: Stage Goals Deliverables

Planning Sept 20-24

Meet with client. Determine project description, scope, methods, and schedule.

Proposal Project Web site

Analysis Sept. 27-Oct. 8

Analyze content & technology resources. Understand mission and users of FASTRAC Web site. Requirements gathering.

User/Task Matrix User Profiles Technology Assessment Concept Map Content Inventory

Design Oct. 11-29 Develop Web site & database design.

Labels & Naming Rules Sitemap Wireframes Page Layout Templates Database Structure Design Standards

Construction Nov. 1-12 Build Web site & database. Documentation

File Master List

Acceptance Testing Nov. 15-19

Demonstrate completed Web site to client. Gather feedback.

Demonstration Feedback Form


C. Analysis Deliverables 1. User/Task Matrix

Goal 1: Program Promotion

Users Information Needs Tasks

Competition Judges What has the FASTRAC team accomplished? Has the team achieved their mission objectives? How does this team's accomplishments compare to the competition?

Read general program information. Learn about program specifics. Access any technical information available to the public. Learn about outreach initiatives. Read latest news.

Program Sponsors How are my company's contributions being put to use by the FASTRAC program? What has this team accomplished? How is this helping my company?

Read general program information. Read latest news. Find company logo & link.

Press What is newsworthy about this project? Where are the press releases? Who can I contact for more information?

Read general project information. Read latest news. Locate press releases. Find name and contact info of media contact.

UT Community How is this group contributing to the university?

Read general project information. Learn about outreach initiatives. Read latest news.

Potential UT Students / Future Program Participants

What kind of experience does this program offer? How can I get involved in this program?

Read general project information. Find links to other resources.

Goal 2 : Community Outreach (Education)


Students (K-12) UT Students General Public

What is a nanosatellite? What is the FASTRAC nanosatellite? What does the FASTRAC satellite look like? How does it work? What does an aerospace engineer do? Where can I find more information?

Read educational articles. Look at pictures. Watch a movie. Find links to other resources.


Educators (K-12) What educational resources are available through this program?

Find educational content. Read about outreach initiatives / events.

Amateur Radio Operators What are the specifics of the FASTRAC nanosatellite? How can I interact with this satellite / program?

Learn about program specifics. Access any technical information available to the public. Read latest news. Pre-register to upload data after launch.

UT Community What types of outreach events are being done by the FASTRAC program? How does this project relate to other UT programs / departments?

Read news. Read about outreach initiatives. Find links to other resources.

Goal 3: Intra-team Collaboration (Efficient Project Management )


FASTRAC Team Members

I need to find a specific document. I need to contact other team members. I need to share a document with other team members. I need to update an existing document. I want to add/delete an authenticated user. I want to update the public site with new content. I want to manage the accounts of radio operators.

Use content management system to meet the specified needs.

Goal 4: Extra-team Collaboration (Post-Launch)


Amateur Radio Operators I want to upload my data. I want to view and/or download data.

Register as site user. Use data upload program. View existing data.

Teams at Other Universities / Other Researchers

I want to see the groundstation schedule. I want to add to the groundstation schedule. I want to examine the technical documentation for this project.

Use groundstation scheduling program. Locate project documentation.


2. Audience Prioritization Since the FASTRAC web site could address the information needs of as many as 12 different audiences, we decided to explore the relative importance of each audience during our Analysis phase. Our client helped in our efforts by categorizing, ranking, and describing each audience listed in our User/Task Matrix. The categorizations and rankings are presented in the table that follows. The descriptions were used to develop the accompanying Audience Profiles deliverable.

Pre-Competition Post-Competition

Primary Audiences (listed in order of importance)

Competition Judges FASTRAC team members Amateur Radio Operators K-12 Educators K-12 Students

Aerospace Companies (if win, this audience is not applicable at all) Press Amateur Radio Operators Other Ground Station Owners K-12 Educators K-12 Students FASTRAC Recruits General Public

Secondary Audiences (unranked)

Press FASTRAC Recruits General Public UT Community Program Sponsors Other Ground Station Owners Aerospace Companies

Program Sponsors UT Community FASTRAC Team Members

Not an Audience

Competition Judges


3. Audience Profiles Audience Profiles provide concrete detail for each primary audience listed in the Audience Prioritization deliverable. More specifically, each profile includes the following: (1) a persona-or name and description of a particular audience member; (2) a typical interaction scenario for the persona; (3) a list of tasks that the persona will want to complete; and (4) the information needs of the persona. (Items 3 and 4 are taken from the User/Task Matrix.) Note: Numbers beside role name indicate the user's rank in importance pre and post competition.

Judge Joe (Competition Judge) 1, --

Description Judge Joe is a senior executive engineer from Lockheed Martin, a private aerospace company. Judge Joe has no direct contact with the FASTRAC team until the team presentation during the January competition.

Scenario The competition is about 1 week away. Judge Joe has just received the FASTRAC technical documents and the URL for the mission web site. He browses the web site for 15-20 minutes before diving into the technical documents, which is where his interest really lies. Judge Joe looks first for an executive memo and/or mission summary so that he can get a clear idea of what the mission is all about. An executive memo is typical documentation developed by aerospace engineers. He also looks for evidence of community outreach since that is an important aspect of the FASTRAC program.

Tasks Goal-Directed

Find and read executive memo (technical). Find and read mission summary (general). Find and read information about outreach

(educational) initiatives. Serendipitous

Find and browse latest news. Find and browse other information.

Information Needs What has the FASTRAC team accomplished? Has the team achieved their mission objectives? How does this team's accomplishments compare to the competition?

FASTRAC Freddy (FASTRAC Team Member) 2, --

Description FASTRAC Freddy is an aerospace graduate student working towards a Ph.D. He is helping to build the two nanosatellites for the FASTRAC competition.

Scenario 1 The competition is only 1 month away. FASTRAC Freddy is working feverishly to assemble his parts of nanosatellite number one. One of the bolts is not fitting where he thinks it should go. He consults the private FASTRAC site to download the most recent nanosat diagram. He needs to double-check where he is to put the bolt. Scenario 2 The competition is over and the FASTRAC team won! The FASTRAC team has decided to make public all of the private documents (with the exception of a few) used to build the nanosatellites. FASTRAC Freddy is responsible for making those documents public.


Tasks Goal-Directed

Upload documents. Search for documents. Download documents. Make private documents public. Add/Delete FASTRAC team member as

user. Add/Delete an Amateur Radio Operator

as user. Maintain (add/edit/delete content) public

site. Schedule ground station. Manage satellite settings.

Information Needs I need to find a specific document. I need to contact other team members. I need to share a document with other team members. I need to update an existing document. I want to add/delete an authenticated user. I want to update the public site with new content. I want to manage the accounts of radio operators.

Radio Ricky (Amateur Radio Operator) 3,2

Description Radio Ricky is a retired scientist who builds radios and satellite tracking stations in his backyard. He talks to other amateur radio operators in his spare time and sends them postcards afterwards. He also belongs to the AMSAT radio operator organization, which controls the radio frequencies available to be used by amateur radio operators. He loves recognition as a member of this hobby organization.

Scenario 1 Radio Ricky has heard at his latest AMSAT meeting that the University of Texas is building two nanosatellites. If launched, they will need help downloading data from the satellite for about 3 months after launch. He also heard that after the 3 months has passed, he can use the satellites for communication like he does other satellites. He gets online to see if he can find the FASTRAC web site. He wonders when the satellites will be launched and exactly how he can help out. Scenario 2 The FASTRAC satellites are now in space. Radio Ricky wants to help collect data. He looks for instructions on how to collect the data and how to give the data to the FASTRAC team.

Tasks Goal-Directed

Look for program specifics. Look for technical documentation. Look for photos and other media. Locate nanosatellite schedule. Locate upload instructions. Pre-register to upload data after launch. Upload satellite data. View existing satellite data uploads.

Serendipitous Find and browse latest news. Find and browse program sponsors.

Information Needs What are the specifics of the FASTRAC nanosatellite? How can I interact with this satellite or program? Where are instructions for participating with the FASTRAC program? Where are instructions for uploading my data? What other radio operators are uploading data?


Educator Ellen (K-12 Educator) 4, 4

Description Educator Ellen has been teaching physics to 11th graders for 10 years. She keeps up with local things going on in the field of physics and science. She likes to supplement her lessons with neat projects, especially if they have local relevance. Local events always provide opportunities for guest speakers and/or field trips. In fact, she regularly checks out the Utopia site on the University of Texas web site for possible lessons.

Scenario Educator Ellen found a lesson plan posted by the FASTRAC team. It describes how to build a cardboard model of a nanosatellite that the team is building in order to send to space. She thinks this would make a great lesson for her physics students and downloads the lesson plan. She also links to the FASTRAC web site so that she can find out more information and determine if her students might be able to see the real nanosatellites.

Tasks Goal-Directed

Locate educational content, such as lesson plans, events, photos, etc.

Locate contact information. Serendipitous

Find and browse information about educational activities at other schools.

Information Needs What educational resources are available through this program? Who did I contact if I am interested in a field trip or presentation?

Student Stephanie (K-12 Student) 5, 5

Description Student Stephanie is a 10th grader at a school in SC. Being interested in outer space, she often searches online for space topics.

Scenario Student Stephanie has to do a science paper. She remembers reading about a school in Texas that sent "homemade" satellites into space. She searches for their web site and looks for information on their project. She worries that she might not understand enough of about it to write her science paper. She looks for pictures and videos.

Tasks Goal-Directed

Look for interesting pictures,movies, etc. Serendipitous

Find and read educational articles. Find links to other resources.

Information Needs What is a nanosatellite? What is the FASTRAC nanosatellite? What does the FASTRAC satellite look like? How does it work? What does an aerospace engineer do? Where can I find more information?


Aerospace Andy (Aerospace Company) --, 1a

Description Aerospace Andy is a senior marketing executive at Lockheed Martin. He looks for new and interesting PR opportunities.

Scenario A senior engineer at Lockheed Martin has been contacted by a student organization at UT called FASTRAC. They have built 2 nanosatellites to conduct research on a new technology developed at UT. They are looking for an aerospace company to launch their nanosats. Aerospace Andy has been tasked with looking into the FASTRAC team more and determining if such a project will benefit Lockheed's current PR efforts in any way.

Tasks Goal-Directed

Look for summary information. Look for news articles. Look for media kit. Look for photos and other media.

Serendipitous Browse general information.

Information Needs Will helping FASTRAC help my company increase revenue? How can FASTRAC create good PR for my company

Press Priscilla (Press/Media) --, 1b

Description Press Priscilla is an Austin TV reporter. She keeps her eyes open for local, feel-good news opportunities.

Scenario Press Priscilla received information from the UT FASTRAC team that they've just won a prestigious competition. She might want to do a story on them for the local news, so she looks up their web site for more information. She needs to find their media kit and get a general understanding for what this team does. She is looking for her news story angle.

Tasks Goal-directed

Look for media kit Download media kit. Look for recent news releases. Look for press releases. Look for name and contact info for

media contact. Serendipitous

Browse general project information.

Information Needs What is newsworthy about this project? Where are the press releases? Who can I contact for more information?

Ground Station Sam (Ground Station Owner) --, 3

Description Ground Station Sam is a aerospace graduate student at The University of California. He collaborates with other

Scenario Ground Station Sam is responsible for scheduling the University of California ground station to view the UT satellites that are going to be launched into space in the next couple of weeks. He needs instructions and contact


universities on aerospace technologies.

information.

Tasks Goal-Directed

Schedule ground station to upload satellite data.

Look for instructions. Look for contact information.

Serendipitous Browse project documentation.

Information Needs I want to see the ground station schedule. I want to add to the ground station schedule. I want to examine the technical documentation for this project.

Recruitable Roy (FASTRAC Recruits) --, 6

Description Recruitable Roy has just received his BS degree from UT. He is applying to the aerospace engineering graduate program at UT.

Scenario Recruitable Roy wants to learn about the FASTRAC program. He is interested in becoming a participant in the program.

Tasks Goal-Directed

Look for student profiles of current FASTRAC team members.

Look for contact information. Serendipitous

Find and browse general project information.

Find links to other resources.

Information Needs What kind of experience does this program offer? How can I get involved in this program?

Public Penny (General Public) --, 7

Description Public Penny is an Austin woman in her mid 40s. She likes to keep up with local events and browses the UT web site about once a week.

Scenario Public Penny finds an article on the UT home page about a prestigious award won by the aerospace engineering students. She takes the link to their web site in order to learn a little more information about the project and award.

Tasks Serendipitous

Find and browse summaries. Find and browse pictures and other

media. Find and browse educational articles. Find links to other resources.

Information Needs What is a nanosatellite? What is the FASTRAC nanosatellite? What does the FASTRAC satellite look like? How does it work? What does an aerospace engineer do? Where can I find more information?


4. Technology Assessment Software Based on the goals and scope of the project, we have decided to use PHP (PHP Hypertext Preprocessor) and MySQL as the back-bone of the new FASTRAC website as well as HTML as the front end of the website. Since the new site will serve as a communication channel for the inner members and the public, we need PHP and MySQL to build an interactive website that also has data management capabilities. Both PHP and MySQL are open source products that are easy to use yet with high portability. PHP, is a server-side open source scripting language designed specifically for the Web. It can be embedded within an HTML page and will be executed each time the page is visited. MySQL is a relational database management system that will enable us to store, search, sort and retrieve data efficiently. It uses SQL (Structured Query Language), the standard database query language. It is also a web-oriented open source product. Server Platform The server is currently going through an upgrading phase, so the space for storing the site and files remains to be determined since the server will be used to host several websites. There may be an initial phase where content lives on the system's internal disk. Even during this time, there should be no shortage. The server currently has dual 2.6GHz Xeon processors with 1GB of memory and a direct connection to the gigabit distribution layer of the network. It is running Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS release 3 (Taroon Update 3) and is patched regularly for security. Currently, the active software tree includes:

httpd-2.0.46-40.ent >mysql-3.23.58-1 perl-5.8.0-88.7 php-4.3.2-14.ent php-mysql-4.3.2-14.ent

Website Development Tools

Macromedia Dreamweaver HTML

Graphic & Visualization Tools

Adobe Photoshop Flash Microsoft Visio Macromedia Fireworks

File Transfer Tool

SSH


5. Concept Map


D. Design Deliverables 1. Labels & Naming Rules

The following list includes all page titles and section headings. The list of labels is still evolving, and changed items have been denoted with "strikethrough" text. A more readable, final list of labels can be accessed via the site map and the redesigned web site.

-- Our Project --

Overview Project: How it started

Competition Purpose Participants Judging

Team : Who we are

• Graduate Members students • Undergraduate Member students • Previuos Members Texas alumni • Faculty & Advisors • Team Meetings

Mission Objectives Where we are going

• Microdischarge Plasma Thruster • GPS Relative Navigation via Real-Time Crosslink Data Exchange • Distributed Ground Station Network • Mission Statement • Technology • Objectives

Activities : What we have done are doing

• Satellite assembly • Satellite design lab • Satellite testing • Experiments • Community outreach • Conference participation • Team meetings

Community Outreach

• Reaching Out to UT Students


• Reaching Out to the Public • Ensuring Media Awareness • Maintaining Web Presence

Sponsors : Who supports us

• Grant donors • Other sponsors

-- Our Satellites --

Overview Satellite Functions

Experiments

• GPS Relative Navigation • Micro-discharge Plasma Thruster • Distributed Ground Station Network (Ground Stations)

Subsystems Design and Assembly

• Structure • Separation System • Communications Architecture • Power • Command & Data Handling Software • GPS / Attitude Determination System • Microdischarge Plasma Thruster (MDPT) • • Attitude Determination and Control System • Command & Data Handling • Communication • Orbit Analysis • Power • Propulsion • Separation • Structure • Thermal

Assembly Sequence and Integration Subsystem Integration

Operation Modes

• Ground Diagnostic • Launch • Pre-Separation • Post-Separation

Testing


• High Altitude Balloon Test

--For Educators -- Education Section—

Overview

Educational Links

Educational Resources (For Educators)

• K-12 outreach initiatives • Satellite tracking • Learning tools • More resources • FASTRAC movie

Lesson Plan

FASTRAC movie

Mission Gallery

• FASTRAC story in pictures • External Links

--For Radio Operators --

Overview

• Participation • Requirements • System Structure • FASTRAC Team

Data Upload

--News --

Recent News News Archives

--Documentation --

Executive Summary (Documentation) Technical Project Documents ation Papers and Presentations

• Conference Papers • Technical Presentations


Preferred Terms for All Content Items marked with an asterix (*) require a definition in the glossary. Preferred Term Related Terms FASTRAC* Formation Autonomy Spacecraft with Thrust, Relnav, Attitude, &

Crosslink Satellite Design Lab* Satellite Integration Clean Room

RACE* Distributed Robot Control Network DRCN

Satellite or Nanosatellite* Nanosat Small satellite Low Earth orbit satellite Formation autonomy spacecraft

Experiment Technology Demonstration Science Objective Technical Objective

Distributed Ground Station Network*

DGSN Distributed communications Distributed tracking network ground station

GPS Relative Navigation* Global positioning system On-orbit GPS Relative Navigation via Real-Time Crosslink Data Exchange Two-way Intersatellite Crosslink with verified data exchange GPS RelNav

Microdischarge Plasma Thruster* MDPT Micro-discharge Plasma Thruster Propulsion system

Attitude Determination and Control System*

ACDS GPS position and attitude determination system

Command & Data Handling System*

C&DH

Communication System* Comm Communication subsystem

Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics

UT Aerospace Department University of Texas Aerospace Engineering department UT Aerospace Engineering Department

University of Texas at Austin UT-Austin


2. Final Sitemap


3. Final Page Design

Home Page


Sample Content Page


Sample Intranet Page


4. Page Layout Templates

The templates below have been presented to our client for feedback. The FASTRAC team selected Deep Blue for its visual appeal requesting some of the informative elements of Black Float and Photo Grid to be incorporated into Deep Blue. As a result, our team has gone through several iterations of minor visual changes to accommodate some content on the front page and a horizontal global navigation.

Black Float Deep Blue Photo Grid


5. Database Structure NewsItems Field Name Data Type Notes Default Required

story_id smallint(4) primary key, unsigned, not null, auto_increment

Y

story_date date

story_status tinyint(1) 1=draft or 2=publish Y

headline tinytext byline tinytext story_text_1 text story_text_2 text story_text_3 text story_text_4 text story_text_5 text image1 tinytext image2 tinytext image3 tinytext createdon_date date current date createdby_user smallint(3) foreign key, unsigned TeamUsers Field Name Data Type Notes Default Required

user_id smallint(3) primary key, unsigned, not null, auto_increment Y

user_status tinyint(1)

0=inactive user 1= general user 2=admin user 3=master account

Y

first_name varchar(15) Y last_name varchar(15) login_id varchar(10) Y passwd tinytext Y department tinytext email varchar(30) home_phone varchar(14) mobile_phone varchar(14) office_phone varchar(14) office_phone_ext varchar(4) Docs Field Name Data Type Notes Default Required

doc_id smallint(4) primary key, unsigned, not null, auto_increment Y

doc_type_id smallint(2) foreign key, unsigned Y subsystem_id smallint(2) foreign key, unsigned Y


comments text file_name tinytext Y uploadedon_date date current date Y uploadedby_user smallint(3) foreign key, unsigned Y DocTypes Field Name Data Type Notes Default Required

doc_type_id smallint(2) primary key, unsigned, not null, auto_increment

Y

doc_type tinytext Y

doc_type_status tinyint(1) 0=inactive 1=active Y

Subsystems Field Name Data Type Notes Default Required

subsystem_id smallint(2) primary key, unsigned, not null, auto_increment

Y

subsystem_name tinytext Y

subsystem_status tinyint(1) 0=inactive 1=active Y

ActionItems Field Name Data Type Notes Default Required

action_item_id smallint(4) primary key, unsigned, not null, auto_increment Y

description text Y due_date date assignee smallint(3) foreign key, unsigned

item_status tinyint(1) 1=current 2=complete

ref_number tinytext createdon_date date current date Y createdby_user smallint(3) foreign key, unsigned Y Telemetry Field Name Data Type Notes Default Required

caller_id mediumint(8) primary key, unsigned, not null, auto_increment Y

call_sign varchar(6) uploads_size tinytext Blog: News & Events Depending on the blogging software we choose to install, there will be a set of tables automatically created by it.


6. Design Standards Colors The colors used on the FASTRAC site correspond to the pallette below. The formatting definitions can be found in the stylesheet for the site (css/graphic_view.css). Color Value Usage #BBBEFF Links: regular state #FF9900 Links: hover state #080844 Page background #D8D8D8 Text #7580B4 Borders #E8931C Page titles (h2) #FFFFFF Bold text Headings The formatting of headings is performed in the site stylesheet (css/graphic_view.css). Heading 1: It has no margins and no padding, and it is used for the FASTRAC logo. Heading 2: Its font is bold Verdana and 200% in size with a top margin of 40px. It is used for page titles and has an orange color (#E8931C). Heading 3: Its font is bold Verdana and 150% in size with a top margin of 40px. It is used for subheadings within pages and has a white color. Heading 4: Its font is bold Verdana and 130% in size with a top margin of 40px. It is used for a second level of subheadings within pages and its color is the same as the text. Heading 5: Its font is bold Verdana and 150% in size with no margin. It is white in color. Heading 5 is used instead of heading 3, whenever one has a two column page layout. Images Preferred dimensions: - no wider than 300px, if text is wrapping around it, - no wider than 700px, if it takes up the whole page width. Preferred resolution: 300 dpi for photos and 72 dpi for graphics. Acceptable formats: .jpg for photos and .gif for graphics.


Unacceptable formats: .png due to large size and long loading times. CSS Styles & Page Layout The page layout is achieved through the use of CSS objects and classes. The chart below details the elements that control the page layout.


E. Post Mortem 1. Alex Chung

After working on this project, I realized that Information Architecture is not only Graphic Design. When designing the look and feel of the site, I often find my self pondering between the visual design or the functionality of the website. And it takes time and effort to find a way that will incorporate both into the final development. Keeping up with the time line of the project is also very important on a project like this. We accomplished our goals of each development phase because we followed through our schedule. I am really lucky to be on this team because all the teammates had different set of skills that contributed to this project and I really learned a lot from my teammates.

I would like to improve my skills on how to utilize CSS and Flash in designing the visual of the website. Also, I would like to use the skills and the processes that I had learned in this project to build a personal website to help manage my personal information, interest, course work, and resume so that this information will become handy during my education or applying for future jobs.

Throughout the project, each member of our team worked together to put this project together. The following list is my contributions.

Deliverables:

• Technology assessment • Content inventory for assigned section • One of the sitemaps • Compile the final site maps • Homepage and content page Design(one alternative)

Construction Work:

• Using Flash to build homepage navigation menu • Contact form functionality • Final Design of Homepage and content page • Design of user's manual • Design of powerpoint presentation


2. Rachael Gilg

Participating in this project really brought home to me the idea that design is about solving problems. A successful Web site depends on harmonizing a large number of different factors, some of which may be conflicting. Our particular challenge was to merge the primary interest of the client - that the site "look cool" - with the practical needs of their targeted users. All the work we put into the analysis phase really paid off, because the goals we identified as a result of the analysis helped us determine the best solutions to the problems we faced along the way. In the end, I don't feel that we had to make any compromises - the final design is the best-looking and best-functioning site I can imagine for this project.

In terms of the process, the most important thing I learned is that an information architect must be able to facilitate effective group collaboration. Putting together a web site requires a diverse range of skills and expertise. Constant communication and a willingness to explore new ideas and sometimes scrap the old ones were key to the process. In terms of my skills, I learned more about how to create an entire PHP/MySQL application based on a set of user requirements. I also learned a lot about CSS by working with a teammate on the intranet files. In the future I hope to explore the formatting and design side of things more, since I focused primarily on functionality in the construction phase of this project.

Throughout the project, each member of the team participated fully in each part of the process. Following is a list of my individual contributions:

Deliverables:

• Project proposal sections: roles, expectations, and methods & deliverables • User/task matrix • Content inventory for assigned section • Wireframes for assigned section • Collaborated with team on final site map • Page design idea (not chosen for full development and presentation to client) • Original draft of "Labels for Navigation and Content Sections" and "Preferred Terms" • Final version of database structure • Intranet help content for user manual • Intranet section of master file list

Construction Work:

• PHP coding of intranet pages to achieve functionality for action items, user management, document uploads, and public news stories.


3. Mariela Hristova Working on the FASTRAC project has given me a chance to participate in a large scale effort (compared to other course projects). Coordination of tasks and establishment of internal deadlines was crucial to my personal success. The sense of a clear timeline taught me that I can be much more effective than I had been in past projects. The collaborative approach to accomplishing tasks that our group adopted kept me motivated and allowed for flexible scheduling on a week-to-week basis. I was responsible to put together the items listed below, but I do not take complete credit for their content. We worked together as a group and everyone channeled their ideas and contributions to the person in charge of the specific deliverable. Deliverables:

Scope chart in project proposal Concept map Partial contribution to content inventory One of the sitemaps (Alternative 2) and helping in consolidation of ideas Page layout and css for the click-through wireframes Black Float page layout template Design standards Helping in the assembly of a user manual Feedback form

Construction work:

CSS for FASTRAC public site Page templates for public site Folder structure for public site CSS for the intranet Helping in the integration of a blog application into the intranet

As a result of participating in this project, I have developed an interest in improving my PHP and MySQL skills further, especially when it comes to customizing applications such as blogs and content management systems. This improvement will take place most likely next semester when I will participate in the customization of a Drupal system at my workplace. Our current project has increased my enthusiasm for contributing to a customization effort. Also, I have decided to develop a professional site for myself using the process we utilized this semester. I don't know how much clients can realize the difference between a hastily put-together and a well-planned site, but I have seen the benefits of following a methodology. Now I will use this methodology to prepare a professional site in support of future job and school applications.


4. Tammy Latham

Over the life of this project, I learned several things: (1) First, I learned that the time involved for content creation should not be underestimated. It is difficult to begin it early on because so much preparation has to occur before content is settled on, but it needs to be started early in order to have it completed on schedule. (2) Second, I also learned that a huge project is much easier to manage when tasks can be divided among team members and responsibilities shared. (3) And finally, I learned that ideas resulting from the synergy between team members and clients make for better ideas than from one person working alone.

I was responsible for putting together the items listed below, but (as Mariela notes) I do not take complete credit for their content. We worked together as a group and everyone channeled their ideas and contributions to the person in charge of the specific deliverable.

Deliverables:

• Description section in project proposal • Audience prioritization • Audience profiles • Content inventory • Labels and naming (2nd draft) • Draft site map (one alternative) • Final site map • Intranet wireframes • Database structure (1st draft) • Photo grid page layout template (one alternative) • File master list for public site • Powerpoint presentation (1st draft)

Construction work:

• Incorporation and management of final content

After working on this project, the skills that I'd like to refine include the following: (1) How to use CSS styles to their full potential and (2) How to use PHP scripts and databases in site development. I'd like to use these skills to build a database driven web site that allows me to easily input my resume items for storage and pull them back via a web site. I'd like to be able to control the visual style with CSS and use the php/database to be able to sort resume items by employer, industry, year, skills used, etc. In addition, I'd like to use the database knowledge to pursue research on sites developed with content management systems.